5 Important Arts You Can See While on a Trip to the Vatican

San-Marino and The Vatican City are the two independent cities in Italy. The buildings and artworks in Vatican City are arguably the most beautiful in the world. From Michelangelo’s Pieta to The Sistine Chapel, the artworks and paintings that it boasts of were done by some of the most prestigious figures in architecture and arts.

Trips to the Vatican keep increasing annually and this comes as no surprise. Here are 5 of the most important arts you can see while on a trip to the Vatican.

1.                 St. Peter’s Basilica: It took the efforts of several notable figures in architecture and art to assemble the Basilica for several centuries. Pieces like Bernini’s gilded bronze baldachin and Michelangelo’s Pieta that are at the center of the Basilica will certainly leave you in awe. They are placed where the main have and transept intersect. It has an impressive length of 187 meters and several marks on the floor show several places where other large churches, like St. Paul’s cathedral in London stop.
2.                 Raphael’s Transfiguration: The PinacotecaVaticana in Vatican City displays the beautiful painting that culminates the artistic career of Raphael. The painting shows the transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain into the radiant light. Giuliano de Medici, a high-renaissance artist, started working on the painting in 1516until he died in 1520. The painting was commissioned by Cardinal Giulio. In the painting, every turn depicts a masterful quality that is both tragic and solemn.
3.                 St. Peter’s Square: In its own right, it is a piece of art, even though tourists will regard it as a place where they queue up before they get to the Basilica.Bernini designed and built St. Peter’s Square within a period of 11years (1656-1667). The circular space in the middle of the square is created from being enclosed by two colonnades. The unique and peculiar shape of the square symbolizes that the arm of the church is open to both Christians and non-Christians. Take your time to appreciate the beauty of St. Peter’s Square before entering the Basilica.
4.                 Caravaggio’s “The Entombment of Christ”: In the history of all Italian art,Caravaggio is arguably the most appreciated painter. The way he uses light to indicate the presence of God in his art, his technique and personality, and his masterful use of chiaroscuro always leave both novices and experts in awe. In the painting, the body of Christ is being laid on a stone and not on a tomb. This shows that Caravaggio’s Entombment of Christ is not a burial.
5.                 The Sistine Chapel: This is unarguably the most-visited part of the Vatican museum. The ceiling is crafted beautifully and completely frescoed. One can say the Sistine Chapel is one of the most beautiful paintings in the world.

If you are ever considering visiting Vatican city and you are having second thoughts, these places mentioned above should remove any iota of doubt in you. The Vatican City is worth visiting.